About DN Carter
Captivated by the Pyramids of Giza at an early age he was inspired to delve into the mysteries that surrounded them which led to a fascination in ancient history, myths, legends and Celtic folklore. It soon became apparent a mathematical and harmonic pattern, a code in fact, was common to all of them no matter how far separated by distance or time. With an avid interest in astronomy, connections were clearly seen that went far beyond mere coincidence consequently investigating all the main locations, now recounted within Outremer. He has travelled the world extensively, enjoys parachuting, recently taken up microlight flying and paints in his spare time. Outremer has been forty years in the making and his interest in these matters ultimately led to a career in science and research. Now in his fifties he presently spends his time living between England and France with his family, plus dog and some gold fish, but continues his travels researching and exploring; a path that shows no signs of slowing down.
Author's Foreword
What inspired me to write Outremer? I write to enlighten is the simple truth...or at least try and provoke the reader to think and start upon a path of their own research and most certainly not just accept my words, but to challenge all that I write. I cannot really put a time frame upon when I started to write Outremer for it has been within me growing as a kernel of a story since a very young age. I can state with all clarity that the first time I sat down and wrote the Title and saved it as a word document was back in 2005. It was almost a year later that I finally sat down and penned the basic story time line together. I knew then that it was going to be a massive undertaking...but I vowed that once I had started, I would finish it. It was the research that took the most time to ensure accuracy. From the smallest detail of clothing to major historical facts as documented, to religious doctrine and philosophies and only then, when I felt confident enough I had the full facts, did I fully commit to writing full time. It was in early 2014 I sat down and finally began to flesh out the original story time line I had penned back in 2005. That alone was 175 pages with bullet points and rough synopsis of each chapter. But as I began it soon became apparent that my original idea of penning a 140,000 word book was woeful wishful thinking and grossly underestimated the extent and volume of material I was trying to convey. So one book of 300,000 words became two, then three and finally four volumes. 1,240,000 words! I did not type 'The End' until December 2015. I was then informed that only then would the hard work now really begin. Editing and proofing as well as reducing the word count by 40,000 words, plus drawing up the illustrations was indeed a lengthy process.
For nearly all of human history the world was once an enchanted place and myths emerged as an attempt to explain unknowable mysteries. But as material and rationalist ideas gained in value and importance, spiritual values declined in direct proportion. Once uprooted from the world of symbols, the art that created them is lost and separated from its links with myth and sacramental vision. The kind of sacramental vision I am referring to is not that of routine church-going or religious dogma as such, but a mode of perception that converges on the power of the divine. It is 'the Old Gnosis' ... a visionary style of knowledge as distinct from the theological or a factual one that is able to see the divine in the human, the infinite in the finite, the spiritual in the material. This sacramental vision, which underlies our perception of the absolute, can never be completely uprooted...despite the dogged persistence of kings and church to try and do so who attempt to debase it all as something evil and pagan. But however much we ignore, camouflage, or degrade that art's sacred elements, rendered as simple and beautiful symbols, they still survive in the unconscious. That is why so many people tattoo themselves without really grasping what it is they do...Indeed, the recalling and setting up of sacred signs is even more urgent a task for an artist in times estranged from symbol and sacrament. But know this also, that when the usefulness of a myth or legend has exhausted itself, it dies...and then any artificial means to keep it alive only serves to make those very actions and symbols of that myth, counterproductive. It becomes out dated with the present times, so has to be completely changed and written a new....and that is what I have tried to do within the pages of Outremer. A strong and bold claim perhaps, but you must be the judge of that once you have read all four volumes of Outremer...
So when you open these books and step in, then depending upon your imagination and from what I describe, you will wear the armour of a knight; feel the weight of the chain mail and the smell of iron. You will find yourself in the middle of some of the darkest battles ever fought. You will meet people who really existed and you will share their experiences. You will make new friends, laugh and possibly cry as this story becomes a part of you. And when you have finished and close the cover on the last page, then the world that was within it, will forever be within you.
That is why these books will become unique and very personal to you alone as you walk through their pages and history. Some characters explode into the story, shine brightly but briefly and are gone, whilst others sneak up on you almost unnoticed yet have a profound impact just like people who come into our lives and go, others who stay and others who seem to come and go and come again.
Step into a hidden world as accounts of the sights, sounds and smells of the past, from the scented lemon and orange groves of Castle Blanc, in modern day Syria, to the stinking pits of the dungeons of Crac de Moab (Kerak) in Oultrajordan come to life. Throughout, genuine codes from antiquity are revealed which still have profound consequences for all of us. If you have ever pondered the reasons why Christianity and Islam were, and still are, so diametrically opposed, then you will discover within these pages 'why'.
In writing this I have tried to adhere as near as possible to the historical truth as one can get. From the smallest eating utensil to the drinking horn pouches that attached to a knight's horse saddle, including the fact that Knight Templar's wore beige in the field not white as popularly portrayed. Details about the scarcely known treaty of Ramla of 1192, signed by Saladin and King Richard I, which shows the formation of the little known Knights of Saladin, a contingent of Muslim Templar's are explained.
Many current names (nowadays) are different from the medieval period. I have therefore named them once or twice as they were once called with its present name in brackets so you know where I am referring to. The books are written in three distinct stages starting off almost innocent in tone, becoming harsher and more adult as the story develops and unfolds.
As I was once told, and now accept, every book, every volume you will ever read takes on a life all of its own formed by the soul of the person who wrote it and from those who subsequently read it; who lived it and dreamed it in their own minds. And with every reading, so the content of that books own spirit grows and strengthens.
There is a Hindu tantric saying, 'nādevo devam arcayet,' which means 'by none but a god shall a god be worshiped.' In simple terms, this means that all of us see the deity, god or spirit of one's own form of worship by the measure and understanding of one's own state of mind aligned or coupled with influences and teachings of one's own culture and environment. Catholic nuns do not have visions of the Buddha, nor do Buddhist nuns have visions of Christ. The image of any perceived god, whether interpreted as in heaven or any other place will be of a local idea historically conditioned or religious indoctrination. If a system leaves no room for personal or individual discernment, personal integrity to stand up to what at times is blindingly obvious as being wrong, or even a way to see a balanced understanding of the real world...then ignorance and intolerance are sadly all too often the end result and progress becomes stagnated, even retrogressed. As I believe, any teaching, and that includes religion, should be one whereby the teachers show but do not say nor demand what the student sees.
Learning with an open mind allows us to plant the seed of intellect, from which mighty oaks of wisdom will grow as people pick up the clues and branch out into further deeper research. That symbolism of what I say will become obvious to those who read all of this work. I simply ask you enter these pages with an enquiring open mind. There are genuine ancient codes contained within these pages as well as a new one using those same codes that readers may wish to work upon. If you crack it, it will lead to a location...one that can only be discovered if you read the entire story. There are also exoteric and esoteric messages that run throughout the manuscript. To some they will be obvious whilst missed by others unfamiliar with the symbolism at first; however, they will discover and understand as the information slowly reveals itself.
All the chapters for all the books have been listed because they all form part of the codes that run throughout the entire story. This does, of course, mean that book two starts from Part V, chapter 25 but it is necessary.
I have tried to convey a new perspective on our history in a comprehensive yet verifiable and checkable format that not only educates you, the reader but hopefully inspires too. It is at times funny, touching, heart-wrenching in places but also even brutal where I have not shied away from portraying the actual horrors and reality of warfare and cruelty. From the deepest depths of mans darkest side to his most noble and courageous, Outremer conveys mankind at his worst, but also his very best.